Numbers signing on fall by 11% in four months

The number of Westmeath people on the Live Register has fallen by more than 1200 in the last four months - a decrease of over 11%.

According to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), there were 9,753 people on the Live Register on November 30 - the lowest figure since October 2009 and 1219 (-11%) less than at the end of July when the figure was 10,972.

Since the end of July the number of under 25s signing on has fallen by 265 to 1623, while the number of over 25s has fallen by 954 to 8130.

The number of people signing on in Mullingar social welfare office at the end of last month was 4,640 - a drop of 602 (-11%) since the end of July, there was also a significant improvement in Athlone from 4500 on July 31 to 3996 on November 30, a decrease of 504 (-11%).

In the Casltepollard social welfare office there were 1117 people on the Live Register at the end of last month, 113 (-9%) less than at the end of July.